Granddaughter Arrested For Allegedly Murdering Grandma And Her Boyfriend In Connecticut

A 22-year-old woman is behind bars after an elderly couple was found murdered in their apartment at Enfield in Connecticut Sunday. Harlee Swols was charged with violating a protective order after being found covered in blood in the apartment.

According to Enfield Police, Samuel Bell, 63, and his girlfriend, Maryrose Riach, 72, died from injuries sustained in their apartment. Swols is Riach's granddaughter, reported The Hour.

Officers were called to the apartment around 6:30 p.m. Sunday after a neighbor reported hearing someone cry for help. On arrival, the officers saw the elderly couple inside with severe injuries.

The arrest warrant said Bell was found with a "large laceration to his neck and stab wounds on his arms and back." He was declared dead on the scene. Riach, who was found lying face down on the floor in a pool of blood, was found breathing. Though she was rushed to the Baystate Hospital, she too succumbed to the injuries.

The officers saw Swols moving inside the apartment. The shower was running and Swols was found clothed but wet, the arrest report said.

"Swols had blood all over her clothes and was showing no emotion at all when I first contacted her," the arrest warrant said.

Investigators said there was a prior incident that resulted in a full protective order. "It was in relation to an earlier dispute with the parties, that having occurred on July 7, 2021, at that same address," Enfield Police Chief Alaric Fox told reporters. "We characterized that as a family disturbance at a misdemeanor level," he said.

Swols was held on a $1 million bond after appearing in Enfield Superior Court on Monday. A judge ordered a mental health watch "due to nature of allegations" to ensure she's not a risk to herself.

Police said an investigation is ongoing and they are working to determine if further charges will be filed. "At this point in an effort to ensure the integrity of the investigation, I can't comment on the manner of death," Fox said.

The officers have also urged anyone with information to contact them. "We certainly welcome if anyone knows anything or heard anything or [has] surveillance video, they’re welcome to contact the Enfield Police Department," Fox said at a press conference.